TIG Machines

TIG welding machines - dedicated AC/DC TIG for aluminum and stainless, multi-process inverters with a TIG torch option, and portable units with lift-TIG capability.

Not every machine that does TIG is a TIG machine

This is the distinction that decides your purchase, so we will be direct about which machine here is which.

• Dedicated AC/DC TIG. The SanARG 180AP. High-frequency start, lift start, AC for aluminum and DC for steel and stainless, with a foot pedal available. If you are buying a machine to do TIG work, this is the one.
• Multi-process with a real TIG torch. The SanMIG 200MF and 250MF. DC lift TIG with a matched torch offered alongside. Correct for a shop whose TIG work is regular but not its main output.
• Lift TIG as a secondary capability. The SanStick 140S and 160S. These are stick portables that will strike a DC lift-TIG arc. Useful in the field, but they are DC only - they will not weld aluminum, and there is no pedal.

AC is what welds aluminum

Aluminum carries a tenacious oxide layer that melts far hotter than the metal beneath it. The AC half-cycle breaks that oxide up so the puddle can form. A DC-only machine cannot do this, whatever its amperage - which is why every DC lift-TIG machine on this page is a steel and stainless proposition only.

If aluminum is anywhere in your work, buy AC capability now rather than a second machine later.

HF start, lift start and where each belongs

High-frequency start ignites the arc without touching the tungsten to the work, so the electrode stays clean and the weld stays free of tungsten inclusions. It is the better process and it is what you want on precision and stainless work.

Lift start touches down and lifts off. It is more tolerant of electronic interference - which matters near sensitive equipment - and it is the reason lift-TIG machines are usable on job sites where HF is a problem.

Budget for the consumables

A TIG machine is the start of the cost, not the end. Tungstens, collets, collet bodies, gas lenses, cups and back caps are all consumable and all sized to the torch. We carry the full range, plus TIG filler rods in steel, stainless and aluminum.

Rentals, on-site demonstrations, machine repairs and a walk-in counter in North York. Tell us what you are welding and how thick, and we will tell you which of these machines is the right answer.

Free shipping over $175 across Canada.